Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’ve been in the IT industry for over 20 years, mostly in the energy sector. I see myself as a technologist at heart and have enjoyed spending the majority of my career taking great new technology into the market via commercialisation strategies.
Who have been your career mentors?
Over the years I’ve been fortunate to have several mentors. All my previous managers have been excellent mentors and those are relationships I maintain and still value to this day. I appreciate being able to benefit from that continuation of advice as my career has matured.
What would you say have been the most valuable lessons they have taught you?
A tricky question given that I feel success is driven by continuous learning, and I am committed to that continuation for myself and my team.
There are two lessons that have always especially resonated and stood out for me. The first, “be passionate about what you do”. Leaders who work with relentless passion are always more compelling and therefore more effective. The second is predicated on invoking in all stakeholders a shared perception and common goal that powerfully underpins a meaningful strategic journey together.
What does leadership mean to you?
Leadership, in my eyes, should be perceived as a verb rather than a noun, and that’s why the foundation of my own leadership style is to lead with my actions.
Fundamental to this is to embody the organisation’s values and behaviours in everything I do. I recognise that successful leadership galvanises an organisation through a shared vision. It’s this shared vision, combined with motivating and fostering autonomy throughout the business, which ultimately brings about sustainable and repeatable success.
What is so enticing about being the COO of Brave?
I was actually a former customer of Brave, and even from the earliest stages of that relationship was extremely impressed by its people and its technology. The prospect of working with such a great foundation and helping guide Brave to meet its vision was very compelling to me.
You could say I liked it so much I joined the company!
Do you have a vision for Brave, things you want to focus on?
Building a strong leadership team is so important. This will mean our staff members are enabled to achieve great things for our customers and for Brave.
Brave has been incredibly successful for the past 13 years. Now it’s time to take that success and turn it into something even greater for our people and for the Australian energy market.
What do you have planned for your first 100 days as COO?
Most importantly, my goal is to listen. I will be listening to people and facilitating change toward our mutual vision. I will be continuously asking myself and my team, “how can we do this better”, and “what’s working, what’s not working”. This is a great way to trigger new and better ways of thinking, and a great way to see what needs focussing on in our business.
I am coming in with fresh eyes, and with a customer lens. I am immersing myself in everything that we are, to determine everything that we can be.
Any final words you’d like to share with us all?
I look forward with pleasure to meeting all of Brave’s partners and customers in due course and welcome the opportunity to engage at any level. My door is open, and I will also be reaching out. Watch this space.
